I will stand by you
by JC Rose
Summary: Set before the Prom story "Midnight kisses" Francine is fourteen and fed up with her wealthy seemingly perfect sister putting her down in front of her family. She finds comfort in her closest friend and a relationship blossoms. Based loosely on the song "Ill stand by you" Its not a song fic. It is a romantic fluffy feel good ending. Warning: Soppy/love


**I will stand by you  
**

 **Pt one of the READ LOVE SAGA**

 **Hurt/comfort/romance**

* * *

 **Part one of the Arthur x Francine love story  
**

So I was going to initially cease writing but I felt the need to write this. I am in a soppy sweet mood.  
Reading stories and watching old episodes of Catherine Frensky and Francine reminded me that Catherine was rather harsh to her little sister. Yeah okay she can be bratty but Catherine does not lead by example. Arthur does and Dw is still a brat. Catherine is just a bitch who makes fun of her little sister in so her friend can have a good laugh at her too. Anyway thats what this story is based around...

* * *

Francine and Arthur are fourteen.

DW is ten years old. She still berates Arthur, mocks him and snaps at him for nothing. When he is tempted to lash out he is scolded for it and/or punished.

Catherine is a successful married Lawyer at age 23, married to Chip and a wealthy success. The apple of her Mothers eye.

Together the two of them find a place where they can talk and console each other.

Find out what happens when two best friends find there usual meeting place for a good rant turn into something special.

* * *

Francine Frensky was known to many as a feisty freshman. A force of nature and over all loud and proud girl with a happy side and was filling out as a young woman which had caught the eyes of a few old male friends. Her closest friends knew not the truth of what she felt inside. Only Him. The boy who was growing into a decent young man with the white shirt and faded jeans. The attractive smile and tall frame. The guy liked by most because he was over all an extremely likeable kind of fellow.

Arthur Read was not without his own secrets or emotional pain either.

* * *

There she was. Saturday afternoon at three in the afternoon. She was slumped against a tree sipping on a frozen coke.

Panting on her way out the door.  
She couldn't take it anymore  
Her elder sister was adored  
The beautiful woman, of whom her husband fawned  
Covered in Jewels and a large diamond ring  
She had it all and each word was of a bee sting

"Say hello to your sister Francine, we hardly ever get to see her now" Laverne said while fixing tea and coffee for her eldest daughter and son in law.  
Francine sighed and emerged out of her bedroom.

She was wearing a black skirt over tights and ugg boots.  
Her hair looked the same and she wore a pair of long hoop earrings.  
Her red top showed off her bust and this is the one thing that got to Catherine.  
Despite everything Mrs Frensky Crosswire had, the blossoming figure of her fourteen year old sister was not something she was fortunate enough to have grown up with.

Catherine had battled to keep her weight down. Her thighs were large by genetics and her bust was smaller than her younger sister who had been bestowed with the "Frensky" gene instead of her Mothers. Francine was still active at soccer and often biked to school, which Catherine refused to do.

Naturally Catherine enjoyed masking her jealousy with a comment to lower her sisters esteem which was once so high.

"Oh wow, I did not know 2005 was back in vogue sis" She sneered.

Francine shook her head and snarled at her. "Well you could throw me a bone at least once in awhile and buy me some new clothes" She snapped.

Catherine was taken back. "Francine Alice Frensky" Laverne squinted her eyes at her in disapproval.

"You do not ask for money from your sister" "She has been generous enough already" She said, looking lovingly at both her daughter and Chip.

Catherine gave her sister a sarcastic wink which made Francine want to scream but she just folded her arms and took a seat beside her Dad who was not really listening but talking with Chip instead.

"So, we have a guest house all prepared for you to live in" Catherine said excitedly. Her long hair flowed and her face was filled with pride.

Laverne yelled in excitement. "Oh Oliver, did you hear that?" "We have a guest house"

Oliver smiled and gave Chip a massive hug, making the blonde monkey blush a little.

"Its okay really" He grinned.

His eyes then met his wife's and he softly said "We are all family" "I hope you realize uh, may I call you Dad?" He asked.

Francine rolled her eyes.

"You may" Oliver grinned.

Laverne then embraced Catherine in a large hug.

"Can I go now?" Francine asked, sighing.

Catherine shot her a nasty glare.

"We have only just arrived" she snapped. "Its been a year since we have caught up with everyone and you want to split?"

Laverne agreed and told Francine to get some drinks for everyone.

"Then can I go?" She asked again.

Catherine shook her head. "Honestly sis, you could be a little nicer"

Francine clenched her fists and went into the kitchen to boil the kettle.

"I cannot believe her" She said aloud. "All she ever did was put me down and now I am the brat?"

Laverne followed her in and took out five china cups.

"You need to be polite to your sister" "Chip as well young lady", "you're behavior has been appalling"

Francine spun around. "Excuse me?"

With her hands placed firmly on her hips, the dark haired teenager explained how her sister taunted her and still made fun of her in public, even to the point of ruining last Christmas with cross-wires.

"Never the less Francine" Laverne sharply replied. "Chip is your brother in law, and you are to respect him and your sister."

"It works both ways Mom" Francine grumbled. "Just because she is older, does not give her the right to berate me constantly."

Francine knew she had talents and was using them. She worked hard in school and was very good at music and sports, which angered Catherine.

Biting her lip she hid her anger as Laverne went on about how one day she will be old enough to make her own choices but until then she is to listen to her parents and do as she is told.

Catherine sipped on the tea and winked at Francine.

"Love the earrings little sis" She smiled. "Are they second hand?"

"Catherine, please dont" Oliver sighed.

"See" Francine growled. "This is what I am talking about." "She is always putting me down in front of everyone."

Catherine laughed smugly while Chip gave Francine a sorry look.

"Lets change the topic of conversation shall we?" he suggested.

Catherine agreed but felt one more dig was appropriate.

"So, Muffy has given you some of her clothes, thats nice of her" she smiled.

Chip agreed. "Yes, and may I say that is a first for my sister."

"Well we are family now" Catherine grinned. "Muffys like the little sister I always wanted."

Francine gasped. "WHAT?"

Oliver and Laverne both told Catherine to politely stop.

Chip was disappointed. "Catherine, that was extremely uncouth"

Francine spat at her. "I wish I didn't belong in this stupid family". she yelled running out the door.

"Wait." Oliver called out.

Laverne sighed. "Let her go." "She will be back by curfew"

Catherine folded her arms, "well if shes not, I hope she gets punished", "I always did."

Oliver kindly explained that Francine was not her concern.

"She'll be fine" he replied. "Just letting off some steam, I imagine"

"She's a wild one" Laverne sighed.

Oliver placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Yes, but she is our wild card darling."

Catherine rolled her eyes. "Okay okay" "I got a bit snappy but...but" "Francine was so annoying growing up." "Sharing a bedroom, the constant tomboy clothes" she ranted.

Chip rubbed her back. "Can't you be the mature one in this sweet heart?" as he spoke, he realized he was very close to his fiance's range of being hit in the face.

After giving the blonde monkey a vicious glare she surrendered and agreed.

"You're the equestrian, the lawyer with the large house and the "perfect life", "if you look at it through the eyes of your little sister" Oliver stated.

Chip agreed. "Muffy looks up to me, she always has." "Now dont tell me, you and Francine never had fun together." He grinned.

Laverne and Oliver both looked at Catherine with adoring smiles on their faces.

Catherine hid her embarrassment and raised her hands in dramatic surrender. "Alright fine" "Yes I love my sister, dont be ridiculous" "off course I do."

Chip kissed her on the cheek and complimented her for admitting such things. "You were fourteen once too, we all were" he said gently...

* * *

Francine had tears in her eyes as she ran down the street. Her hair blew in the breeze and her tights kept her legs warm.  
She waited for Arthur to text back.

Once he had replied, she went to the park and met him by the large willow tree placed in the center of the park.

Leaning against it she let her tears flow. She never showed this infront of her family and certainly not her sister.

A boy emerged wearing a yellow shirt and faded jeans. An Aardvark with glasses, slightly taller with a broken teenage voice.

"Arthur" Francine called when she saw him.

He ran up to her.

"Hey, uh..." he stopped mid sentence. "You're crying."

She cried, for the first time since they were in sixth grade in front of him.  
"I cannot take it anymore" she wept. "I'm a living joke"

Arthur felt the need to place his arm around her.

"Hey this is not about the comic book again is it?"

She wiped her eyes and looked at him. "What?" "Oh the Fern thing, no" "We made up over that years ago"

Arthur nodded. "Oh but its just..." "I haven't seen you cry like this since we were ten and Catherine had..."

Then it hit him. Catherine!

"She left me that letter when she left for college" Sobbing as she spoke. The clouds gathered as she retold the story of how Catherine told Francine she wished she was never born in her goodbye letter. _"We would have been so much better off without you" "You were nothing but an accident in the backseat of a car.."_

Arthur reminded her that it was not true and her parents had confirmed this and spoken with Catherine when she returned that summer.

"What's she done?" he then tightened his grip on her and looked her in the eyes.

"The usual, humiliation in front of my parents with her rich and successful Crosswire husband" She sneered as she spoke, but this time the sneers were met with tears.

There eyes met each others, hers were weeping his were sad.  
Her heart was jumping but inside she was mad.  
Not at him, no never at him. She was hurting and aching, needing more than a friend  
She leaned in beside him and their lips touched again...  
She wrapped her arms around his neck. He placed his round her waist  
He made his kiss more forceful, she savored every taste.

"Nothing you confess" "Will make me love you less"  
"Ill stand by you, Ill stand by you"  
I wont let no body hurt you"

When out in the street, Arthur put his arm around his Francine as a signal to her and to others that he is there giving her shelter and will be prepared to fight for her safety. He continued to do this right up through Senior year when they went to prom together.

When a man puts his arm around his female partner when there are other people about, it may be a signal to others that 'she is mine - hands off'. This may be partly protective and can have elements of jealous guarding his 'property'.

* * *

Five years later:

Her beautiful brown eyes glistened under the moonlight.  
"Well its midnight" She trembled in his grasp.  
"It certainly is" He replied with a seductive tone of voice...  
He was helpless to resist the allure of her scent, body and beautiful eyes, shimmering under the glow of the moon...  
As they kissed, the feeling grew more passionate, the love they felt for each other was growing stronger and eventually... One hour later

They lay together in Arthurs bed as one, completely naked and embraced in each others arms.  
"Together forever" He whispered into her ear... "My queen"...  
Looking at her diamond ring resting on her engagement finger she sighed happily and mouthed the words...  
"Forever" in reply

* * *

TBC with the Married and Pregnant third shot.


End file.
